Cast spreading device

ABSTRACT

A cast spreading device for spreading the severed wall of a cast comprising a handle having a finger pivoted lever which actuates a longitudinally movable shaft through a barrel. The distal end of the barrel has fixed thereon a bit. The distal end of the shaft passing through the barrel carries a second bit which operates to move away from the bit on the barrel as the shaft is advanced through the barrel. This operation functions to spread the cast apart when the bits are embedded in the cut of the cast.

O United States Patent [151 3,705,58 1 Drake 1 Dec. 12, 1972 [54] CASTSPREADING DEVICE [72] Inventor: Leon A. Drake, 3220 Old HobartExaminer-Lawrence Trap! Road, Lake County, Ind. 46405 Atmmey-walterLeuca [211 App]' N05 98980 A cast spreading device for spreading thesevered wall of a cast comprising a handle having a finger pivoted [52]US. Cl ..l28/83, 29/239 lever which actuates a longitudinally movableshaft [51] Int. Cl. ..A6lf 5/04 through a barrel. The distal end of thebarrel has fixed Field of Search 3/ 2, 811; 54/ thereon a bit. Thedistal end of the shaft passing 254/108, 71; 2 through the barrelcarries a second bit which operates to move away from the bit on thebarrel as the shaft is [56] References cued advanced through the barrel.This operation functions UNITED STATES PATENTS to spread the cast apartwhen the bits are embedded in t the cut of the cast. 3,426,752 2/1969Laico ..l28/83 1,571,376 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 2/1926 Rogers..254/7l X WWW 3705.581

T 24- y lo 28 I m 4-8 m [AW/'EYTOR, LEON A DRAKE BY Lama ATTORNEY CASTSPREADING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The problem that thisinvention is directed is that connected with the removal of a cast whichis formed on a limb to hold it rigid in order to promote the healing ofa broken or fractured bone. Such casts are ordinarily formed by wrappingthe limb with a gauze material and covering the same with a plastic orwet cementious material which hardens into a plaster-like shell rigidlyencompassing the limb. After the healing is completed, the cast isdestroyed and removed from the limb. The thickness of the cast issufficient to provide a rigid covering for the limb and accordingly, thedestruction thereof for removal is generally accomplished by cutting thewall of the cast longitudinally by means of a saw blade and then thesevered sides are spread apart to remove the cast from the limb.Removing the cast in this fashion requires the cast to be cut all theway through risking injury to the skin of the limb which is in closeproximity with the cast material, and

then cutting the gauze material with scissors. This method hazards therisk of injury to the skin and is slow and laborious if done carefully.

I am aware that spreader devices are employed which forceably spreads asevered cast which is cut through and the force applied by the spreaderdevice ruptures or spreads open the cast to liberate the limb therefrom.The spreader devices that I am aware of are primitive in structure inthat they employ scissor-like handles and the spread of the bits is veryrestrictive. Also, some cast spreader devices require the use of bothhands to operate the scissor-like spreader handles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I have invented a cast spreader device whichspreads the severed wall of a cast easily and quickly with the use ofone hand by providing a pistol-grip handle having a finger pivoted leverwhich actuates a longitudinally movable shaft through a barrel. Thedistal end of the barrel has fixed thereon a bit. The distal end of theshaft passing through the barrel carries a second bit which operates tomove away from the bit on the barrel as the shaft is advanced throughthe barrel. This opera tion functions to spread the cast apart when thebits are embedded in the cut of the cast.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a more detailed study of the following specificationwhich is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein apreferred embodiment of the principles of my invention is illustrated.With reference thereto:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top view of the castspreader device of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of my invention with the movable bit insection;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the movable bit;

FIG. 4 is the face view of the stationary bit as viewed from lines 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the bits of my invention shown embedded in thecut of a cast encircling a limb, the cast and limb is cross-sectioned;and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the bits in spaced apart relation todemonstrate the spreading action of this invention on the cast.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRE EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings,which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein likenumerals designate like parts of the several views, the cast spreader ofthe present invention is designated generally by the numeral 10. Itcomprises a hand grip member 12 which pivotally supports at 14 a lever16 and is adapted for finger movement. The interior end of lever 16carries a pawl element 18. Made integral with handle member 12 istubular member 20 to which is fixed at the distal end thereof a pair oflaterally spaced rectangular bars 22 and 24 which serve as bits. Shaft26 is longitudinally movable intube member 20. Rectangular bar 28 whichalso serves as a bit is rotatably mounted on the end of shaft 26 and isformed to fit in the space between spaced blade members 22 and 24 ontube member 20 to form a unitary bit edge 30. I provide on bit 28 across bar 32 on the outside face thereof at right angles thereto toincrease the strength of the single bit member 28 and to serve as a stopagainst spaced bit members 22 and 24 so that bit members 22, 24 and 28may be laterally aligned to form a rectilinear bit edge. It also may beformed to serve as a depth gauge stop when the bits are embedded in thecut of the cast and also as a slide guide when moved across the cast asthe spreader tool is used over the cast. The other end of shaft 26extends beyond handle member 12 and is provided with a shaft rotatingmeans such as knob 34. Serrated detents or notches 36 are formed in oneside of shaft 26 which are engageable by pawl element 18 of lever 16 tomove shaft 26 forward with each reciprocating movement of lever 16. Pawlelement 18 is spring biased to engage notches 36 when lever 16 is movedin one direction and to slip thereover when the lever is pivoted in theother direction. A second pawl element 38 is pivotally mounted in handlemember 12 as at 40 and is biased to normally engage notches 36 so as toprevent back sliding of shaft 26 after being forwardly moved by pawlelement 18 on lever member 16. Bit member 28 is rotatably connected toshaft 26 by providing the distal end of shaft 26 with a reduced diameterto provide a shoulder 42. Bit 28 is provided with a hole 44 throughwhich is fitted the reduced diameter of the distal end of shaft 26, theend of which is radially enlarged as at 46 to axially retain bit member28 and cross bar 32 between end 46 flared against washer 48 formedintegral with cross bar 32, and shouldered portion 42 of shaft 26, butrotatable thereon. FIG. 3 does not show the connection of the flared end46 of shaft 26 and washer 48 since the metal parts are ground to form anintegral surface.

In the operation of my invention, shaft 26 is retracted to its rearwardposition by rotating knob 34 to disengage pawl elements 18 and 38 fromnotches 36. Bit 28 on end of shaft 26 is fitted in position betweenspaced bits 22 and 24 of tubular member .20. As stated above, bit 28 isrotatably mounted on the end of shaft 26 so that when shaft 26 isrotated to disengage notches 36 thereof from pawl elements 18 and 38,bit 28 may be held in parallel alignment with fixed bit members 22 and24 of tubular member 20. With bit member 28 in lateral alignment betweenspaced bit members 22 and 24, the collective edges 30 thereof areinserted in a longitudinal cut 50 provided in cast 52 as more clearlyshown in FIG. 5. Knob 34 is rotated so that notches 36 of shaft 26 andpawl elements 18 and 38 are placed in engagement. By holding handle 12and manually pivoting lever 16, pawl element 18 is reciprocated therebyengaging notches 36 to advance shaft 26 forward through tubular member20. The backward movement of pawl element 18 releases one of notches 36to regrip a more rearwardly placed notch during which time pawl element38 being biased against shaft 26 engages one of notches 36 to preventshaft 26 from moving backward while not engaged by pawl element 18. Theforward shifting of shaft 26 spaces bit 28 forward of bits 22 and 24with sufficient force to rupture cast 52 along the longitudinal cut 50in which the bits are inserted and force the severed sides of the castapart sufficiently to allow removal of the mended limb therefrom.

lclaim: l. A cast spreading device comprising: a tubular member; meansconnected to one end of said tubular member for insertion in a fissureprovided in said cast; a shaft in said tubular member; means connectedto one end of said shaft for insertion in said fissure provided in saidcast; said shaft being longitudinally movable in said tubular member tolaterally align said means thereon with said means on said tubularmember; and

lever means on said tubular member to longitudinally move said shaft tospace said means thereon from said means on said tubular member. 2. Thecast spreading device of claim 1 wherein said means connected to the endof said tubular member and said means connected to the end of said shaftare further characterized as extending radially from said tubular memberand said shaft respectively. 1

3. The cast spreading device of claim 1 wherein said shaft is furthercharacterized as having spaced detents, and said lever means on saidtubular member is further characterized as engaging said spaced detentsto longitudinally move said shaft through said tubular member.

4. A cast spreading device comprising: a tubular member, a hand gripprovided on said tubular member adjacent one end thereof, bit meansconnected to the other end of said tubular member for embedment in afissure provided in said cast; a shaft longitudinally movable throughsaid tubular member, means provided on one end of said shaft formanually rotating said shaft, bit means connected to the other end ofsaid shaft for embedment in said fissure provided in said cast, spaceddetcnts formed in said shaft; and a hand actuated lever member engagingsaid detents to longitudinally advance said shaft. 5. The cast spreadingdevice of claim 4 wherein said means connected to the other end of saidtubular member is further characterizedas being a pair of spaced apartb1t members, and said means connected to the other end of said shaft isfurther characterized as being a bit member receivable in said spacebetween said pair of spaced apart bit members on said tubular member.

6. The cast spreading device of claim 5 wherein said bit memberconnected to the other end of said shaft is further characterized asbeing rotatably movable thereon.

1. A cast spreading device comprising: a tubular member; means connectedto one end of said tubular member for insertion in a fissure provided insaid cast; a shaft in said tubular member; means connected to one end ofsaid shaft for insertion in said fissure provided in said cast; saidshaft being longitudinally movable in said tubular member to laterallyalign said means thereon with said means on said tubular member; andlever means on said tubular member to longitudinally move said shaft tospace said means thereon from said means on said tubular member.
 2. Thecast spreading device of claim 1 wherein said means connected to the endof said tubular member and said means connected to the end of said shaftare further characterized as extending radially from said tubular memberand said shaft respectively.
 3. The cast spreading device of claim 1wherein said shaft is further characterized as having spaced detents,and said lever means on said tubular member is further characterized asengaging said spaced detents to longitudinally move said shaft throughsaid tubular member.
 4. A cast spreading device comprising: a tubularmember, a hand grip provided on said tubular member adjacent one endthereof, bit means connected to the other end of said tubular member forembedment in a fissure provided in said cast; a shaft longitudinallymovable through said tubular member, means provided on one end of saidshaft for manually rotating said shaft, bit means connected to the otherend of said shaft for embedment in said fissure provided in said cast,spaced detents formed in said shaft; and a hand actuated lever memberengaging said detents to longitudinally advance said shaft.
 5. The castspreading device of claim 4 wherein said means connected to the otherend of said tubular member is further characterized as being a pair ofspaced apart bit members, and said means connected to the other end ofsaid shaft is further characterized as being a bit member receivable insaid space between said pair of spaced apart bit members on said tubularmember.
 6. The cast spreading device of claim 5 wherein said bit memberconnected to the other end of said shaft is further characterized asbeing rotatably movable thereon.